


A Trip to Remember

by Seamistery



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Angry Kylo Ren, Badass Rey, Captured Kylo Ren, Eventual Romance, F/M, Forced Bonding, Kylo Ren Has Issues, Love/Hate, POV Kylo Ren, POV Rey (Star Wars), Reylo - Freeform, Slow Build, Some Humor, Starts right before the end of the Force Awakens, Survival
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-03
Updated: 2016-06-11
Packaged: 2018-07-11 21:53:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7071946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seamistery/pseuds/Seamistery
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Rey decides to save an injured Kylo Ren before Starkiller Base is obliterated she never anticipated the journey they would begin. Stuck alone with him, Rey is tested as she tries to bring forth the diminishing light within him. Will she succeed, or will Kylo Ren instead find the darkness within her own heart? Slow build Reylo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Rey's lungs burned as she panted in the frigid air. During her duel with Kylo Ren she had thought little of the cold temperature as adrenaline had pumped through her veins. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, the freezing cold caused Rey's muscles to painfully tighten and her eyes to burn as the wind caused them to water. Such a climate was so new to the scavenger that for once in her life Rey missed the smoldering heat of Jakku. Anything was better than the planet that Starkiller Base was located on. Especially since it was about to blow up.

"Only a little farther," she kept repeating to herself as she ran through the crumbling forest, intent on finding Finn. It was a grueling process that involved much backtracking as earthquakes caused the earth to continually open up around her, yet she would not stop. She frantically moved her hazel eyes as she observed her surroundings in order to recognize whether she was even heading in the right direction.

Finally after what felt like an eternity of jumping, climbing, and running, Rey recognized the area she was in as being the location of where they had originally encountered Ren. Now that she knew where she was, Rey desperately searched for her friend, yet there was still no sign of him. Then she saw it. Despite the shaking earth, a human imprint was still clearly visible in the snow. Finn's imprint.

Rey's eyes widened in horror, Finn was gone. Better yet, she had no idea who had taken him. Though she hoped that it was the Resistance, her mind instead procured the image of an injured Finn back in enemy hands. If his injuries did not kill him, surely the First Order would dispose of their traitor. She couldn't bear to lose Finn. He was her first real friend after all.

As if to remind Rey of the planet's dying state, the ground rumbled and she was nearly thrown into the snow.

_What do I do now!_ She dreadfully thought as the world around her continued to fall apart. It was bad enough she couldn't find Finn, how was she supposed to get off this planet and rescue him if she couldn't even escape herself?

As random cracks in the earth continued open up and swallow whatever was in its path, Rey thought back to Kylo Ren and how she had left him behind after defeating him. A gaping chasm had separated them after their duel and she had thought little of it as she disappeared to find her fallen friend. Despite Rey's dire predicament, she couldn't help but wonder if his injuries had stranded him in his place, dooming him to fall like the planet around him.

Even though the monster had killed his own father and countless others, she couldn't help but feel a touch of guilt for leaving him. The scavenger imagined how disappointed Han Solo would have been if he knew that Rey had purposefully left his son alone to die. Though they had their differences, he clearly still loved him enough to give his life trying to bring him home. If Rey didn't save him now, she would also never discover whether there was any light still left inside of him in order to bring honor to Han Solo's sacrifice.

_But I need to find Finn, I don't have time to save that monster_ her mind countered. Yet despite Rey's better judgment, she still imagined Kylo Ren's battered form helpless to escape as a chasm opened up beneath him. To Rey, Kylo Ren did not deserve to die just because she was partially responsible, but because death was the easy way out. Someone like Kylo Ren couldn't die now when he had done nothing to redeem himself and repay the galaxy for the pain he had caused. No matter how wicked he was Rey would not have his blood on her hands, nor be responsible for letting him fail to face the crimes stacked against him. Rey would rescue Ren, escape this blasted planet, and then find Finn.

_Sounds easy enough_ she sarcastically thought.

Her mind made up, Rey dashed through the rupturing forest towards where she had abandoned Ren. With the planet's core heat escaping through the cracks in its surface, it dissipated the frigid air's bite, allowing warmth to return to Rey's limbs. Moving more quickly, Rey used her scavenging skills to quickly navigate the dangerous landscape as it collapsed around her.

_This is crazy. This is crazy. This is crazy!_ Rey screamed in her head as the earth nearly swallowed her up again. _To think this is all for a man who just tried to kill me_!

When she finally returned to the chasm, Rey wasn't sure if she should have felt relieved or not to see Ren's dark form still crumpled in the snow. Repressing the urge to second guess her decision, Rey began to speculate how to get to the other side of the chasm without killing herself. Thankfully Rey's scavenger skills made her a quick thinker when it came to utilizing her environment. She whipped out her light saber and turned it on before using it to cut down a particularly large tree. After the blue saber cleaved the tree from its base, it fell across the chasm with a bang, forming a bridge to the other side. Rey wasted no time as she dashed across the tree's aging bark in order to reach Kylo Ren.

As Rey approached Ren, she slowed her steps and quieted her haggard breaths. One wrong move and she might end up dead when it came to this unpredictable man before her. As Rey stepped towards Kylo Ren she was hesitant as if approaching an injured creature.

_He might as well be one_ she thought.

Rey breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed that his light saber lay next to his form and not dangerously clutched in his hand. On closer inspection she realized that he was in pretty bad shape. Kylo Ren's eyes were closed as blood seeped through the fingers of his left hand which clutched his face. Seeing his lack of movement, Rey became worried about his condition.

_He can't be de-_ Rey's thoughts were cut off when she jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding Ren's crackling saber when it flew into its master's hand.

Kylo Ren's eyes burned with hatred as he weakly lifted his face to watch Rey. "Come back.. .to finish me..off?" he defiantly mumbled through his hand.

_I can't believe I'm doing this._

"As tempting as the idea is, I'm actually here to get you off of this planet," Rey returned, despite her dislike of the plan.

Kylo Ren scoffed. "Why? So you can…. take me back to the Resistance?" he bitterly asked. "You're better off…leaving me here to die…" Ren spat.

Rey's hazel eyes burned with anger. It was bad enough she had to save him, but having him put up a fight only made her regret her decision to rescue him soar. "Listen, I'm not just saving you because your family would appreciate it, but you still need to pay for all the wrong you have done!" she yelled.

"The only wrong I have done…is not killing you when I had the chance," Kylo Ren replied through his pain.

_Wow what a great thing to say to someone who is here to save you_ Rey angrily thought. Then another jolt nearly knocked her over.

Remembering that they were short on time, Rey decided it was time she put her foot down. "Enough! Put away that damn light saber and give me your arm, because in case you didn't notice, this planet is about to blow up," she urged. "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. You choose."

As if answering his question for him, the earth gave another jolt causing a loose boulder to roll down a hill and strike Kylo Ren in the head. Rey gasped in shock before quickly running to his side to check for a pulse. Grasping the wrist of the hand that still held his saber, Rey sighed in relief when she felt a weak pulse.

_Thank the makers we're doing this the easy way_ Rey thought as she reached for his saber and turned it off. After both she and Ren's light sabers were securely fastened to her belt, Rey threw his arm around her shoulder and tried to pull him up. Just when she finally achieved a good grip on Ren, there was another tremor as the nearby chasm began to further widen, simultaneously engulfing her bridge. As the chasm widened in her direction, Rey began to move as fast as her small form could while supporting Kylo Ren. Though hard work as a scavenger had given her some muscle, the earthquakes caused Rey to stumble as she now half carried, half dragged him to safety. Unfortunately after a solid five minutes of this, his weight was too much and she collapsed.

Rey's exhaustion from everything she had experienced that day weighed down on her mind and body as she lay in the snow with an unconscious Kylo Ren half on top of her. Rey felt utterly helpless as she watched the earth's opening approach her and Ren's fallen forms. No matter how quick she could have moved without Kylo Ren slowing her down, she would not leave him. Rey had made a decision, albeit a highly difficult one, and would die trying to get them both off this planet.

Rey clenched her hands and shamefully closed her eyes. _What do I do? I'm just not strong enough…_

With no more ideas she tried to reach out to the force. Though she still knew very little about it, the force had aided her in mysterious ways up until this point. It had given her strength and powers she did not understand, yet strangely she had the ability to command them with ease. Hopefully it could assist her one last time. As Rey tried to take hold of the faint energy that surrounded her she prayed.

_Please, we just need to get out of here_. _This can't be the end, I just got off Jakku, there is so much more I need… to see._

When nothing answered she was extremely disappointed, and ready to accept her unfortunate end as the chasm moved closer.

_This is it…_

" _Rey"_ a voice suddenly said.

_What was that?_ She wondered as her hazel eyes shot open. Rey could have sworn she had just heard a voice, yet no one was there. Then as if to further confuse the young woman the impossible happened.

Where originally no one stood, something seemed to come into existence about ten feet away. It started off as a faint orb of light, but it gradually expanded to form the outline of something. Rey was startled when the outline finally displayed a person, but not just any person, an almost translucent one. His form seemed to glow in the dim light of the forest, bathing Rey and Kylo Ren in a mysterious milky light. As Rey further examined the man, she realized he wore strange robes and a cloak that hung off of his body. He had a scar on the right side of his face, and his hair was slightly wavy like Kylo Ren's, stopping just under his chin. Despite her shock, Rey was not afraid of the ghostly man. In fact, he seemed quite familiar despite the fact she had never seen him before. Though the man's face was mostly devoid of emotion, Rey could tell that something seemed to brew underneath his visage. As to what it was, she had no idea.

"Who are you?" she asked in wonder. Had the force sent this man to save her?

The man just shook his head and turned towards another direction. In one swift motion he raised his hand to point at something buried in the woods. Then he sent one last look at Rey before he entirely disappeared.

Detangling herself from Kylo Ren she rose to her feet. "Wait! Come back!" she cried even though the man had disappeared. She ran over to where he had been previously standing and took note of how his feet had left no marks in the snow. Recalling the direction that the man pointed towards, Rey headed the way he indicated for a few minutes before she stumbled across a speeder bike tucked behind a tree.

"Yes!" she cried as she went about inspecting the speeder. Thankfully is was relatively new and seemed to be in good working condition. _This must have been how Kylo Ren was able to get ahead of us and cut us off_ she realized.

Wasting no time she jumped onto the speeder and sped towards where she had left Ren. Using the last of her strength she pulled him onto the bike and sat behind him to ensure he didn't fall off. Just as chasm opening was about to swallow them up, Rey squeezed the handle bar and the speeder zoomed off into the forest at an incredible speed. If the situation was different Rey may have smiled and laughed. The speeder bike was must faster and swifter than anything back on Jakku. She he had to admit, riding on it was exhilarating.

As Rey dodged more openings in the planet's crust, she had no real idea where to go. As if addressing her concern the ghostlike figure appeared once again pointing in a new direction. Deciding not to think too much into why the strange man returned, Rey turned the speeder to fly in the direction he gestured.

Just when Rey began to wonder whether the man had misguided her this time, she nearly cried in relief when a ship hanger appeared in the distance. Increasing her speed it was only moments before they were safely inside the structure. While most of the hanger had been already vacated, one ship thankfully remained. It was decently sized, polished to perfection, and had two long wings pointing upward. This ship was definitely not junk.

Rey jumped off the speeder and ran towards the underside of the ship. Opening a control panel she hastily messed with it until finally the ramp opened just as another tremor shook the planet. Becoming more worried about the state of the base, she sprinted back to the bike and drove it up the ramp that led into the spaceship. Once inside, she set the bike's settings to link with the ship's gravitational field so that it wouldn't slide all over the place when they were airborne.

The earthquakes increased as Rey ungracefully pulled Ren off of the speeder and dragged him into a corner where she practically dropped him. In her haste she unwound the cloth from around her arms and used it to tie up Kylo Ren's hands and feet as best as she could. Though he could easily dispose of the bonds if he was awake, Rey hoped that his injuries would prevent him from escaping for the time being. Depending on this assumption, she ran into the cockpit and jumped into the pilot's seat.

As Rey quickly flipped switches on she felt the ground shake more violently than ever before.

_This is bad, really bad!_ Her mind screamed as she continued to turn on the ship. If they didn't leave soon the planet would explode with them still on it! Finally after what felt like hours the go ahead light turned green and Rey quickly pulled back the startup lever. The ship hummed to life and Rey wasted no time as she drove it out of the hanger and onto the runway. Once outside the Rey fumbled with the controls to make it take flight. Unfortunately she had never flown a ship so advanced as this one and it was taking her time to figure out how to control it. Time that she didn't have.

As if on cue the ground opened up beneath the ship and Rey released a yell as she felt herself falling. As the ship fell farther and farther towards the center of the planet, her mechanical reasoning went out the door as she flipped every switch she could find.

"Damn it! Something has to work!" she yelled before randomly slamming a large button. Suddenly the ship gave a sharp lurch and shot up into the air, causing Rey to be thrown from her place.

Rey harshly hit the floor of the cockpit, but she ignored the growing pain in her arm as she flipped over to look out of the window. Hey face broke into a smile as she discovered that the sky was coming closer. "Yes!" Rey cried as she got up and climbed back into the pilot's seat.

However, just when she thought that it would be smooth flying from this point on, an alarm sounded. Rey turned to look at the defense monitor as it lit up and indicated that an immense heat signature was approaching the ship.

_The planet! It's blowing up!_

It was risky but she had to do it. There was no way the ship could outfly the blast when it was so near. Jumping into light speed when still within a planet's atmosphere was dangerous since the light speed collision sensors were not at their optimal capacity until in space. Basically the ship ran the risk of colliding into something during light speed the second it entered space. If the ship struck something at such a speed, it would be obliterated.

Rey bit her lip and pulled the lever.


	2. Chapter 2

As the world outside of the cockpit's window began to stretch and ultimately morph into the cobalt vortex of hyperspace, Rey felt her heart rapidly beating within her chest. The scavenger had experienced a lifetime of danger, especially most recently, but what she was attempting right now was extremely deadly. With the light speed collision sensor slowly coming online, it was up to Rey's judgment to determine when the ship was about to approach an object and hopefully pull it out of light speed in time. The only problem with this plan was that it was practically impossible to predict such an occurrence at the speed she was going. One slip up and Rey and her passenger were dead.

As Rey's face glistened with sweat she firmly grasped the lever, prepared to pull it when the time was right. Then as if an alarm had triggered in her mind, Rey sensed the existence of something and pulled back the lever with all her might. As the ship slowed and escaped hyperspace, Rey's previously anxious face quickly adopted a look horror when she saw what lay ahead. The ship was flying right towards a massive asteroid.

Despite the asteroid's imposing size, Rey knew she couldn't allow her fear to cloud her judgment. She began hastily flipping switches in order to ready the ship for quick maneuvers. With the last switch activated, Rey pulled the ship up just as it was about to collide with the asteroid. However, Rey barely had a moment to breathe before numerous more appeared.

Stuck in an asteroid field, Rey made the ship turn in every which way, but found such maneuvers tough with her current ship compared to the Millennium Falcon. With two large wings to account for, she struggled to protect them from collision. Narrowly scraping past another smaller asteroid, Rey thought she was finally in the all clear when a powerful bang was felt from underneath the ship.

"No!" Rey cried as the ship began to corkscrew through space.

As alarms began to ring, the cockpit's monitor displayed one of the ship's ion engines and the critical state of its power cells. The cells had been damaged to the point that they could no longer safely power the ion engine. As part of the ship's safety features, it had completely shut down one of the engines to ensure that the cells did not explode and further damage the spacecraft. With one engine still working, Rey tried to regain control of the ship, but found it increasingly difficult without the other one to stabilize it.

When the ship finally escaped the asteroid field, Rey slowed the spacecraft to a steady cruise as she turned her worries to the power cells. Unfortunately if they weren't replaced the ship's one working engine would not be enough to channel the hyperdrive when activated. Unable to enter hyperspace therefore severely limited Rey's options regarding where she could travel.

Curious to her present location, Rey checked the cockpit's monitor and found that the ship was currently located in the Outer Rim. Quickly typing in the Ileenium System Rey frowned when the system's advised means of travel included light speed.

_Now what?_

The scavenger knew it was vital that she reach the Resistance Base in order to hand over Kylo Ren. Despite the fact that she had defeated him, Rey was not so sure things would necessarily go the same way should he heal and regain his strength. With him still incapacitated Rey gained the upper hand, but only for so long. That's why it was important that she find the Resistance as soon as possible. If anyone was equipped enough to handle a dangerous man like Kylo Ren, it was hopefully them.

Once there, she could also inquire about Finn in order to discover whether he hopefully escaped with them, or had been captured by the First Order. If the latter proved true, then she would find and save him. It was the least Rey could due after the ex-stormtrooper had mounted a rescue mission for her sake.

A rough plan in her head, Rey turned her thoughts back to the power cells. The scavenger knew she needed to stop at the nearest habitable planet in order to replace the cells and possibly gain leads pertaining to where in the Ileenium System the Resistance was. In need of a destination, Rey activated the ship's sensors to detect nearby planets that could be traveled to without the aid of light speed. After a few moments of waiting, a nearby planet popped onto the screen.

_Tatooine huh?_ Rey wondered in interest as she began inputting its coordinates into the ship's navigational system. Spending most of her life on such an isolated planet like Jakku meant that Rey possessed little knowledge about the other worlds that dotted the galaxy. Other than being able to occasionally recognize a planet's name, the scavenger had no idea what kind of life forms and environment were associated with it.

_I just hope this Tatooine doesn't have a lot of sand._

* * *

After ensuring that the ship was in a stable enough condition, Rey activated the autopilot and left the cockpit to check on Kylo Ren. As she walked through a hallway that lead to where she had left him, Rey struggled to decide what she would do if he was conscious. It was vital that she quickly treat his injuries or else infection would set in. Yet she didn't expect him to patiently sit there as she dressed his wounds.

_Here goes nothing_ she thought as she rounded a corner.

Rey immediately sighed in relief when she found Kylo Ren still unconscious. As she crouched next to his form Rey discovered that his face seemed even paler than usual as sweat trickled down it. Blood heavily leaked from the gash across his face and his breaths were becoming shallower by the second. Kylo Ren's state was worsening and if she didn't do anything, he would die.

_But that's what's you want, right?_ An eerie voice spoke within her mind. As it slithered its way through her thoughts Rey felt goose bumps appear on her skin. It was the same one that had urged her to kill Kylo Ren back on Starkiller Base. _He's killed people, he's killed Han, and he may have killed Finn_ it whispered.

Rey frowned at the mysterious voice in her head, yet its claims still grabbed her attention. It had a point. Maybe it was best that she put him down before he caused more misery. With Ren so weak before her all it took was…

_No, stop it. Why are you even thinking of harming him after you went through so much trouble to save him?_ Rey's mind suddenly protested as if waking up from trance. Fearing what she would do if she remained by Kylo Ren's side, she got up and began to busy her mind by searching for a medkit.

_What was that voice anyway?_ Rey pondered as she began to open storage containers. _Was it the ghost?_

No. The ghost did not seem spiteful in the way that the voice had been. If anything he seemed to want to help them, which was very confusing. Just who was that man? Why did he appear to her? Was it the force?

_I guess I'll just have to ask Luke these questions when and "if" I ever meet him._

In the midst of her searching, Rey found a panel and curiously pressed a button. Following this action a door opened revealing a small room. As she stepped inside, Rey noticed that there was a bed on one side of the room while the other half had cabinets displaying the red medical symbol. Opening the cabinets she smiled when she found numerous medkits. Perfect.

Rey returned to Kylo Ren and once again grabbed his arm before trying her best to support him as she made her way to the room. After depositing Ren on the bed, she grabbed a medkit and pulled out some bacta bandages.

_Time to get to work._

* * *

_Kylo Ren looked into his father's eyes as they begged him to return with him. As Ren felt tears moisten his cheeks he knew he was losing, losing to the light side. For a moment he questioned everything. What am I doing? Why I am even here? Why did I leave! He had never felt so weak in his entire life as he clutched his light saber in an effort to retain a shred of strength._

_His saber was his power. Over the years it had made him strong and a force to be reckoned with. Ren had become intoxicated with power whenever he gave life to its crackling plasma blade. By handing it over he was essentially forfeiting the only strength he had ever known. Luke had taught him that the light side was true strength, but even now he doubted the validity of this teaching. By the grace of Snoke's instruction and his experiences with the First Order he knew that what he sought could only be provided for by the dark side. The path to true power meant one was willing to sacrifice anything in order to achieve this goal. Yet something still stood in his way: Han Solo._

_If he was to squash the light forever in order to become one with the dark side he had to eliminate attachments. Darth Vader had failed because he had let his familial love stand in the way of his mission. Kylo Ren would not make this same mistake as he tried to rightfully live out his legacy._

_When the base flooded with darkness, Kylo Ren ignited his light saber and guided its power into Han Solo's chest. The tears had long dried as Solo's hand lightly grasped Kylo Ren's face before he fell into the endless pit that lay below the walkway._

_He had done it! Kylo Ren could finally embrace the dark side in order to reach his full potential. But why did he feel this…ache in his heart?_

_Kylo Ren fell to his knees as his saber shut off. His strength was extinguished leaving only pain and a hollow feeling of emptiness. He wanted to cry out in anguish, yet he didn't understand why he felt this way. He should be happy, he had passed Snoke's test!_

_Kylo Ren shook his head as tears threatened to spill from his eyes once more. "Why do I still feel..so…weak!" he yelled._

_As if to answer him, Han Solo appeared before him. "Because you were a failure to begin with," he replied spitefully. Suddenly everyone Kylo Ren had slaughtered began to surround him. The padawans, the villagers, and the faceless Resistance fighters began to close in on Kylo Ren. It was too much as they whispered angrily around him._

" _Failure!" one spat._

" _Murderer!" another screamed._

_Then a woman stepped in front of him. She was short with brown hair and equally brown eyes. Though those eyes had usually been filled with happiness and warmth during his childhood, they were cold as ice as she quietly observed him._

" _The greatest disgrace to us all," she calmly said._

_Feeling his anger begin to burn inside him again, Kylo Ren reached out to the force in order to force choke the woman in front of him. What she had uttered was not, could not, be true. Kylo Ren was far more powerful than she could imagine. Therefore, he would show her the true nature of the dark side._

"Ah!" Rey screamed as an invisible force painfully tightened around her neck. As she struggled to breathe she saw Kylo Ren now awake with his eyes fixed on her writhing form. The anger she found in his eyes was unwavering as he increased the pressure upon her throat.

The pain was becoming too much and tears began to moisten her eyes. "Kylo..Ren…STOP!" she managed to scream despite the black spots that were beginning to appear in her vision. Just when Rey thought she was about to completely lose consciousness, she felt the force let go of her throat and she fell to the floor.

As Rey heavily gasped for air she felt Kylo Ren's eyes upon her once more. "Why have you brought me here?" he simply demanded as he curiously looked around.

"Why have you brought me here? Why have you brought me here! Is that all you can say after you almost _killed_ me!" Rey yelled as she rose to her feet. She felt immense rage as she watched Kylo Ren sitting silently on the bed with an emotionless face.

"If it will calm you, know that I didn't intend to do that," he spoke as if that was enough to ease the residual pain in her throat, or her difficulty breathing.

Rey narrowed her hazel eyes at him. "That's gold coming from someone who previously threatened to kill me. Whether trying to hurt me was your intention or not, I really don't care, I'm just glad to see this is the gratitude I get for saving your life," she spat before storming out of the room.

Kylo Ren tried to maintain his own anger as he watched the girl, what was her name? Oh right, Rey, leave him as if she couldn't bear to spend another moment with him. Then again he couldn't exactly blame her, even though it wasn't really his fault that his dream had transferred into reality. Regardless it was better she stay away from him anyway. It was because of Rey Kylo Ren had lost his master's favor.

If he had been harder on her, more menacing, then perhaps the Knight of Ren could have gained the information he needed and disposed of her before complications could arise. Yet something about her spoke to him from the moment he laid eyes on her on Takodana. When Kylo Ren first reached into the girl’s unsuspecting mind he saw immense loneliness and pain that he was unfortunately familiar with. He saw himself in her and this realization had blinded him. Kylo Ren had broken his master's first teaching: do not let sentiment get in the way.

Rey had made him momentarily soft, but he would not allow her to do this again. He was Kylo Ren of the Knights of Ren, a powerful warrior who worked under the influence of the dark side in order to bring about order in the galaxy. Not a weakling like Ben Solo who lost his edge just because he met a girl that shared his inner turmoil.

Reaffirmed of his mission, Kylo Ren once again began to study the room and was surprised when he realized that this was his command shuttle's medical room. Feeling an unfamiliar coolness touch his chest he looked down and discovered that his shirt was gone and numerous bandages were wrapped around his shoulder and his lower torso. When Kylo Ren tentatively touched his face he realized that the gash was also bandaged up as well.

Kylo Ren almost allowed himself to feel grateful to the scavenger for treating his wounds when he recalled who had given them to him.

_Yes my father's Wookiee companion, the traitor, and the girl herself_ he angrily thought. Hitting his side he allowed the pain to remind him of what the Resistance had done to him.

It was only a matter of time before the bacta completely healed his wounds, and when it did, Kylo Ren would be ready to make his move. If Rey thought she could drag him back to the Resistance she was sorely mistaken. When the time was right he would return to the First Order and present her to Snoke like he had commanded.

Kylo Ren would earn back his master's favor, and then the lingering weakness he felt would disappear for good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so I'm sorry there wasn't a whole lot of dialogue in this, but I promise there will be more interaction between Rey and Kylo Ren in the next chapter. Now unlike a lot of fanfictions I want to emphasize that in this story neither Kylo Ren nor Rey experienced "love at first sight" when they first met. In The Force Awakens novelization Rey actually describes Kylo Ren's face as rather unremarkable and it doesn't exactly take her breath away. In Kylo Ren's case I feel like because he identified with her it was more difficult for him to harm her, not because he was stricken with love or lust. This is not to say these feelings can't turn into something more in the next movies, but they're a start!


	3. Chapter 3

Hours after the incident with Kylo Ren, Rey sat in the pilot's seat as she quietly observed the numerous stars that sat within the wide expanse of space. When she was a small girl, Rey would climb out of her cramped home in order to lie in the cooled sand, and gaze at the mysterious majesty that was the night sky. As the stars twinkled down on her, the scavenger used to imagine one falling to Jakku and it turning out to be her family's ship. For years the night sky had filled her with a resilient hope that things would get better. Rey would wear this belief around her like a blanket that warmed her during the chilly desert nights.

Now as she observed the stars, she did not feel the comfort she had sought. Just what was Rey doing anyway?

_I was crazy to think I could easily handle Kylo Ren on my own_ she realized.

At this thought, Rey tentatively touched the tender skin of her neck. Even in his injurious and bound state, Ren had managed to command the force to hurt her. The scavenger felt silly for believing that his weakened form would be enough to placate him until they reached the Resistance. However, despite how powerful he was, Rey did not fear him.

If Rey was fearful to begin with, she would have never have saved him and treated his wounds. No, what Rey felt was not fear, but an increasing determination to deliver Ren to the Resistance. If anything, his actions only fueled her drive to personally ensure that he was locked away in a cell. Only then would she be able to sleep at night knowing that the galaxy was safe from this monster. If Kylo Ren thought force choking her would be enough to scare her, he was mistaken.

From this point on Rey would tread lightly around him, and as a last resort, use the light saber that hung off of her belt. He was a tough character to read, and for that reason, Rey knew she had to accept his every action as dangerous like the man behind it.

* * *

While Rey's hand hovered over the button that opened the door to Kylo Ren's room, her other carefully balanced a tray of rations and a small container of water that she had found earlier. It had been quite some time since he had woken up, so the scavenger figured that he must have been hungry by now. Therefore, she had put together a small meal for him. A docile prisoner or not, Rey still had to unfortunately keep him alive.

_Here goes nothing_ Rey thought as she finally pressed the button to open the door. Slipping inside the room she visibly frowned when she realized that Kylo Ren wasn't unconscious this time. He sat on the bed with his back against the wall as he quietly observed her. If anything, Ren looked like he was expecting her.

"I see you've finally worked up the confidence to see me again," he slowly stated. "Although I can sense that you're still anxious".

One minute in the room and he was already baiting her. "If you think I'm afraid of you after that stunt you pulled, you're mistaken. You seem to forget that I'm stronger than I look," Rey replied while gesturing to his face. Kylo Ren's eyes darkened at her comment.

"One victory and you think you are suddenly more powerful than me? Be careful that your overconfidence in your newfound abilities doesn't blind you as to why you really defeated me," Ren cautioned.

"Yeah? Then what was it exactly?" she halfheartedly asked.

Kylo Ren's expression gave little away. "If you're as capable as you claim to be, you should have no problem figuring it out yourself," he swiftly replied.

Rey frowned at Kylo Ren. _Stop it Rey, he's just trying to mess with you. He's trying to discover a weakness and exploit it. Don't let him bother you._

By the way the Ren was calmly observing her, she had a sinking suspicion that he already knew he had succeeded.

"I see you've brought something with you?" he stated, breaking the silence.

Rey looked down at the tray in her hands. "Yes well I couldn't let you go hungry. You're _my_ guest now," she explained with a smirk.

"Well as your _guest_ I'm flattered that you also went through all the trouble of also tying me up," he said while lifting his bound hands.

"I was only returning the courtesy you gave me when I was _your_ guest. Although I think I'm the better host considering I prepared a meal for you," Rey said as she placed the tray on the bed next to him.

"Sorry, I'm afraid the food at Starkiller Base wasn't worth the trouble. However, now I'm beginning to regret not feeding you. Maybe then you might have talked. It's understandable considering a quick probe into your mind taught me that scavengers like you eat nothing but scraps."

"Well believe it or not, not all of us are willing to murder others just to gain a warm meal from The First Order," Rey countered.

"I can assure you, I joined The First Order for reasons a naïve girl like you would never understand," Kylo answered, his voice laced with anger.

"What was it? Power? Wealth? Prestige?" she challenged despite the dangerous look Ren was sending her. "What could possibly make you so devoted to the First Order that you would _kill_ your own father?"

"You know nothing of my past!" Kylo Ren spat. "You think Han Solo was the ideal father? He was a thief! Nothing more, nothing less!"

No matter what Ren said about Han Solo, Rey knew that it wasn't true. Yes he was a smuggler and not exactly the most trustworthy man to make a deal with, yet she knew that he loved his son until the very end. As Rey had watched Han Solo in his final moments, she saw the way he looked at Kylo Ren. Solo didn't see the monster he had become, only the soul of his son in need of rescuing.

If Rey was being honest with herself, she had even believed that Ren was worth saving at one point. Her momentary glimpse into his mind had revealed that he was actually a very confused young man. Kylo Ren had ideals and a dark legacy he wanted to fulfill, yet Rey had sensed hesitation regarding these thoughts. When he handed his saber over to Han, Rey had been relieved that he made the right decision. Yet clearly she had misjudged him when he plunged it right into his father.

Rey clenched her fists in anger. "He loved you, yet you killed him! He wasn't just some smuggler, he was you _father_ ," she said, her voice about to break. She couldn't even remember what her father looked like, and yet, Ren had killed his own as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Well sometimes having no father is better than one that didn't truly care about you," Ren angrily declared just as Rey's head began to ache with pain.

_Wait a second, where did this pain come from?_ She curiously wondered. Rey vaguely recalled feeling a similar way when Kylo Ren first reached into her thoughts. _Did he….just read my mind again!_

"Get. Out. Of. My. Head!" Rey exclaimed when she caught on to what he was doing. Filled with rage, Rey stared pointedly at Ren. Within moments of doing this, the room strangely melted away to form unfamiliar images in her head.

_A small dark haired boy was clinging to Han Solo's legs as he tried to board the Millennium Falcon. Meanwhile in the background a hooded man and a group children watched the exchange from a respectful distance._

" _Daddy please don't leave me!" he cried on the verge of tears._

_Han sighed before kneeling down in front of the boy and taking his small hands within his large ones. "Ben you're mother has already explained. It's for your own good. Don't you want to be able to control the force?" Han questioned._

" _Yes…but I don't want to leave you," the boy replied his voice cracking._

" _Kid, sometimes we don't want to do things, but that's life. You have to realize that your mother and I can't help you to become a Jedi, only Luke can. That's why you need to stay here with him. I know you don't see it right now, but we're only doing this because it's what's best for you-"_

" _I don't care! I don't want to be a Jedi if it means I won't get to see you!" the boy exclaimed, the tears now freely rolling down his face._

_Han shook his head and lightly grasped his son's tear stained cheek. "Ben you have to be strong. You can't spend the rest of your life hiding behind your parents because you're scared," he explained._

" _I'm not scared daddy. I just don't want to lose you-_

"Get out!" Kylo Ren yelled as he finally managed to completely push Rey out of his head.

Now back in the room, Rey felt extreme shock when she realized what she had just done. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to-" she lamely began.

"Just get out!" he exclaimed, his eyes burning with something she couldn't quite identify.

"I didn't-"

"Go!" he demanded.

"But I-"

"Leave me alone!"

Wishing to no longer upset him, Rey quickly fled from the room and shut the door behind her. Once it was closed, she leaned against it and slid to the floor. What she had seen…what she had done…was…

_Horrible_ her mind spat. Letting rage control her actions and using the force to pry into Kylo Ren's thoughts was a disgraceful thing to. How it even happened, she wasn't so sure. All Rey knew was that she had made a terrible mistake.

_What have I done?_ She shamefully wondered as crashing sounds were heard from within Kylo Ren's room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh, it looks like Rey's starting to get a taste of the dark side! I wonder what will happen now? Bigger question is: Will Kylo Ren ever stop breaking stuff every time he gets frustrated? Anyway, sorry this was a little short, but I just had to get another chapter up for you guys. As always please let me know what you think!


	4. Chapter 4

_I do not own Star Wars_

* * *

As Kylo Ren sat in the midst of the ruin he caused, he took deep breaths. He hadn't been able to bring about as much damage as he usually did (that with him being tied up and saber-less), yet he still felt his inner calm returning. Snoke had taught Ren that to embrace his anger was to embrace the dark side. However, he often carried so much anger within him that it was difficult to maintain a clear mind until he let it out.

" _Release your anger,"_ Snoke had taught his pupil, " _Then let its residual existence burn within you so that you may now take a calm approach to your objective_."

Continuing to release steady breaths, Kylo Ren let his anger simmer within him as he considered Rey's earlier actions. When the girl had angrily probed into his mind, she had done more than simply glance into one of his oldest memories. Somehow, the scavenger had also caused him to relive it all over again. All the emotions he had felt in that moment came flooding back to him, overwhelming his senses. Sadness, confusion, and the beginnings of immense anger were present as he watched the exchange between Han and a young Ben Solo.

_I'm no longer that dependent child,_ Ren firmly told himself as he tried to subdue the lingering feelings of abandonment.

_What happened in the past doesn't matter because I killed that man._

Unfortunately at this thought, Kylo Ren felt the internal ache from his dream return. As it began to gradually increase in intensity, the Knight of Ren started to panic. Realizing that his emotions were beginning to affect him, Ren harshly punched his injured shoulder.

_Whatever I felt for Han Solo died with Ben when I destroyed him_ he repeated in his head as his shoulder pulsed with pain. As the throbbing began to renew his sense of self, the ache thankfully faded away.

If Rey thought she could evoke guilt from within him by drawing that memory from his mind, she clearly didn't understand that he no longer held onto sentimental attachments. Foolish concepts like family and love did not dwell in the dark side. Therefore, they held little meaning to him.

Ren had to admit though, what she did was surprising and almost manipulative. He had sensed Rey's anger and was even more amazed when she let it guide her actions. What she did was something more commonly observed in those practicing the dark side of the force, like himself. Perhaps the little scavenger wasn't as filled with light as she assumed?

Regardless, Kylo Ren was still infuriated with her for thinking she could have her way with him. By exploring his mind, tying him up, and locking him in a room, Rey probably felt high and mighty. Just because Ren was restrained did not mean he was harmless, as he had accidently demonstrated beforehand. If he wished, he could probably even escape his bindings and take control of the vessel. The problem with this plan was that Kylo Ren had no idea how to pilot the ship, despite it being his. Even if Ren managed to render Rey unconscious and send a distress signal to the First Order, he would be left in charge of it. If something was to happen to it in the time it took for rescue, Kylo wouldn't know what to do.

Therefore he had to play the part of a good prisoner and wait until they landed somewhere. Then he would escape from Rey and contact the First Order. Once they arrived the girl wouldn't stand a chance against their numbers.

_In the meantime, I can discover whether that scavenger truly carries more of the dark side then she would like to admit._

* * *

As Rey walked down the hallway towards Kylo Ren's room, her steps remained steady, yet her mind was in a frenzy.

Ever since Rey had accidently pried into his mind, she had felt disgusted with herself. No matter how evil her prisoner was, she had no right to draw out such a painful memory. When she had first reached into Ren's mind on Starkiller she had done so unknowingly. If anything it was a defense mechanism against his own mind infiltration. However, what Rey had done seemed to emerge from her anger. She could have walked away after Kylo read her thoughts, she wasn't his prisoner, yet she didn't.

And that's what bothered her.

Despite how wrongful it was of her to invade his memories, Rey was also stunned by what she found. She knew things were rough between Han and Kylo, but she never imagined that his hate for him stemmed from his father leaving him behind somewhere.

Rey knew firsthand the pain of being left alone. To live every day with the hope that your family would return turned life into a horrible waiting game. She couldn't appreciate the small things in life because she held onto the belief that it had the potential to be so much more, so much better. However, unlike Kylo Ren, Rey had not let her feelings of loneliness turn her towards the dark side.

_We all make decisions_ she decided. _Bad experiences don't necessarily have to make bad people_.

Witnessing Ben Solo for the first time had also disturbed her. To think that such an innocent child would grow up to kill his own father was difficult to process. When Ben had begged his father not to leave, his young gaze had been so earnest, loving, and full of light that for the first time Rey genuinely feared the power of the dark side. If it could corrupt someone like Ben, it could just as easily corrupt her. Yet even if she was to be somehow seduced by the dark side (Makers forbid) she couldn't imagine it being so easy to let go of the light. Maybe there was still light inside of Ren? Maybe Ben Solo still existed, hiding behind the invented persona of Kylo Ren?

_I guess I'll just have to wait and see_ she concluded.

When she opened the door to Kylo Ren's room, Rey did not look at him as she walked in and opened a cabinet. Without uttering a word, she rummaged around inside of it until she found what she was looking for. With a medkit now in her hands, she made her way towards Ren in order to re-bandage his wounds. As Rey walked she was careful to sidestep the tray from yesterday and its contents, along with the bed's blanket and pillow. Kylo Ren had made quite the mess.

Despite her approach, the Knight of Ren did nothing to acknowledge Rey. For some reason, he sat on the bed with his legs crossed and eyes closed. Even when Rey was standing right next to the bed he continued his strange behavior.

_Is he doing some weird dark side meditation or something?_ She curiously wondered. It was strange to see him so calm after the way he acted yesterday.

"Eh hem," Rey grunted, trying to get his attention.

Nothing.

"Ren?"

Still nothing.

She sighed. Rey didn't have time to deal with his stubbornness when she could be checking navigational charts instead of playing nurse to him. "Listen, I'm so-"

"There is no need to apologize," he said suddenly, cutting her off. After Kylo Ren said this, he finally opened his eyes to look at her. "You shouldn't feel sorry for letting the dark side influence your actions," he calmly stated.

"The dark side…? What I did wasn't intentional. As far as I could tell it wasn't _fueled by the dark side_ ," Rey defensively explained.

"The anger, the hate you felt toward me. I sensed it, and I know you did too. There's no need to deny it. In fact, you should embrace it, like I did," Ren stated.

After hearing his strange words, Rey couldn't help comparing the young Ben Solo to the killer in front of her. The eyes of Kylo Ren were intense, but also spoke of emptiness. They were a ghost of what they once were: bright and emotional. Rey shivered when she imagined the dark side altering herself in such a way. No matter what he said, Rey would never allow such a thing to happen.

"I admit, I may have been angry, but that doesn't mean I should embrace how I felt," she began. "Anger and hate may be powerful, but they also have the ability to erode away who you once were," she asserted.

Ren's dark eyes narrowed when he realized that she was referring to him. "The dark side doesn't destroy who you were, it turns you into who you were meant to be from the beginning," he spat.

Rey quietly studied Ren, looking for something that would give away what he was currently feeling. "And is Kylo Ren who you were meant to be?" she finally asked.

When she presented this question, something instantaneously appeared in his eyes before it disappeared behind a mask of indifference. It was so quick that Rey had almost missed it, but she saw it. Unfortunately it was something she was far too familiar, making it easily recognizable in others.

Doubt.

"Of course," he answered evenly.

Bang!

The medkit went flying out of Rey's hands and she was violently thrown on top of Kylo Ren.

"Oof!" they both huffed once they landed in a heap of tangled limbs on the bed.

Mortified that she was currently sprawled across her enemy, Rey haphazardly attempted to detangle herself from him. In order to accomplish this, she clumsily grabbed his shoulder for support. This caused Ren to painfully gasp.

"What are you doing!?" Rey cried in surprise, looking down at him. "If this is some escape attempt, you used the force to push me the wrong way!"

Ren's face contorted in discomfort, as her hand still pressed into his wound. "I…didn't do…anything!" he hissed in discomfort.

Rey frantically looked around to see if someone else had pushed her, but found the room empty. "Then what was-OW!" she yelled when another jolt caused her forehead to slam into Kylo's bandaged one.

"Ughh," Ren moaned as his palm reached up to grasp the pulsating wound on his face. "For Snoke's sake!" he angrily began. "Get off of-mmmh!" his voice was muffled when Rey quickly slapped her hand over his mouth.

"Shhh! I hear something!" she whispered as she continued to lie on top of Kylo Ren.

"Wow, will you look at this ship," a sudden voice said. Rey's head snapped up to look at the door that separated her and the strange voice.

"Sure is nice," another voice added.

Rey's eyes widened at hearing the unfamiliar voices. _Who are these people?_ She wondered. _How did they get on the ship?_

Even Kylo Ren seemed interested despite Rey's hand still glued to his mouth, and her body crushing his wounds.

"Boss sure is gonna love this," the first voiced said.

"Tell me about it. I just wonder where the pilot and crew is?"

"Probably escaped in a pod the second they saw us coming. It's not like they could have escaped us with one engine working," the first voice snickered.

Based on the way the voice was regarding itself, whoever these people were clearly thought that they were a force to be reckoned with. Rey had experienced enough people like this on Jakku in order to understand what it meant: these guys were trouble. Slowly Rey turned back to face Kylo Ren. "I'm going to go see who those people are," she whispered. "Whatever you do, don't make any noise, okay?"

He nodded.

Finally, Rey removed her hand from his mouth and peeled herself off of him. With a swiftness that even Ren did not possess, she made her way to the door before waiting. When the footsteps were finally heard moving away, she quietly slipped out into the hallway.

Once Ren was sure she was gone, he allowed himself a moment to smile. Rey falling onto him may have been painful and not his doing, yet he made sure to take advantage of the situation.

_It's good to have you back_ Ren thought as he held his beloved light saber in his hand. While Rey had been worrying about the voices, he had carefully unclipped it from her belt.

Whoever these strangers were, he didn't really care. Kylo Ren was just immensely pleased with the turn of events. His unique weapon would ensure that these intruders delivered both Rey and himself to the First Order.

_Looks like I won't have to wait until we land after all,_ he smugly thought.

**Author's Note:**

> Please review!! Your words make my day!


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